Windows 7 beta, 64x and Vaio, and Motion Eye Webcam

Vista Hardware Devices

I have got myself a Sony Vaio SZ650n/c laptop and finally the motion eye started working in Windows 7 64 bit version OS, although only minimal amount of keyboard hotkeys started working. All the drivers for this laptop can be found in the below link:http://www.vaio-link.com/os/vista/64bit/

At first, I tried all sorts of recommendations listed in a variety of forums. But unfortunately, none of them worked for me.

So, now here’s how I finally managed to make the camera work again:

First of all, I checked the Sony Support website and looked up the name of the camera that is installed on my laptop. Since the support website does not list a driver download when selecting Windows 7 as operating system, I selected the originally installed OS (Windows Vista). This way, I found out that the Sony Vaio VGN-CR290 needs a driver for the following camera:

Sony Visual Communication Camera VGP-VCC6

As far as I can tell, the last few digits are the important numbers that make the difference between the various Vaio models.

After having found these details, I started to google for drivers of the above mentioned camera. I did not look for the .exe file that Sony offers though. Instead I was looking for the complete driver including the .inf file (this is the driver file needed, when you want to update the driver for a device manually).

It took me about 1,5 hrs to finally get to an internet site that had exactly the file I was looking for:

Although this site did not list Vista or Windows 7 as an operating system this driver is compatible with, I thought it might be worth a try. So, I downloaded the file. Here’s the direct link to the download for those of you who don’t seem to find it on the page:

When the download was finished I extracted the files of the .zip to my computer. The folder then contains a couple of files and folders. The important file for installing the driver manually is the following though:

“R5U870FL.inf”

Then, I did the following:

Open the Device Manager: click "Start", go to "Control Panel", and then click "Device Manager".

From the list showing up in the Device Manager, double click the one that is your Sony Vaio camera… this will open the device “Settings”
(for me the camera was called USB Video Device, but it could also be called something like USB Composite Device or anything similar)

Now click the “Driver” Tab, and then select “Update Driver”

Select “Browse my computer for driver software” (manually)

On the next screen, do NOT click “browse” yet and instead choose "Install from a list or specific location". This way you will be able to select drivers from a list on your own computer

On the next screen, select the "Imaging device", then do NOT click “Next” and instead click the “Have Disk…” button (could also be called “Data Storage Medium…”)

Now click the “Browse” button and search the directory to which you unzipped the file you downloaded

Highlight the “R5U870FL.inf” file, and then click the “OK”, “Open” or “Next” button

The operating system will now install the driver. Click the "Finish" button when done.

After it finished installing the driver, I opened Skype and finally, the green light next to my camera lighted up and it showed an image again.

By the way, the .zip also contains some .exe files. I did not try the installation with these files though because with the original Sony Vaio driver, it also never worked. Feel free to try it though and post your feedback.

These instructions of course only worked with the Sony Vaio VGN-CR290 needing the Sony Visual Communication Camera VGP-VCC6. If you need drivers for another camera, you might try the internet site mentioned above in locating other drivers. It lists some alternate / related software links on the bottom of the page.

Best of luck to all of you.

Best,
Stef

P.S. I will include the .zip file as a download as well, just in case the link might not work anymore... you never know.

Thank you so much, batanie! I was seriously about to give up and just buy a webcam. I run Windows 7 64-bit on my VGN-CR590, but your instructions still worked for me. You just made my semester abroad a whole heck of a lot easier!

Thanks so much, frickinnoob. Your driver files worked fine on my TZ 170 without needing the alternative files. The camera only connects to SplitCam, however, not the ArcSoft WebCam Companion app which was originally installed. Strangely, the ArcSoft Magic-i visual effects program works with SplitCam; no idea why. So download SplitCam (free) and frickinnoob's drivers and it should work for you. The driver itself is Ricoh version 6.1005.301.0. Hope this makes someone else's search shorter than mine. DriverMax and similar services were useless.

hi frickinnoob i am using sony vaio vpcea16fa e series i reinstall my windows from recovery disk. same prob is with me my web cam stop working. I tried all your said prosedures but it didnt work for me. acually when i tried the first prosedure Ricoh-MotionEye 64 and 32 my system use to restart as soon as i click on arc web cam software which is pre install in my lappy. plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz help me out...............

I registered on this forum ONLY to THANK Batanie. After searching all forums for hours and hours (in-fact days), I stumbled upon your step-by-step procedure. (Sorry the background first - I had installed Windows 7 on my Sony Vaio VGN-CR313H from previously Windows Vista. Motion eye stopped working. I was handicapped as I use Skype to talk to my parents). I followed your instructions...and voila...camera started working like a charm !! :-) Thank you once again

Your fix posted on 5 March 2009 worked beautifully today (1 April 2012).

I have a VAIO VGN-TZ31VN/X onto which I completed a clean install of Windows 7 two years ago, but never needed to use the webcam until this weekend so had no idea there was a problem until I spent all day yesterday trying to fix it.

Thanks to your solution, which I found today, the Motion Eye now works with Windows 7.